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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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June 29th,
2010 - Marine Accused in Iraqi War Crimes is Back on Duty |
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Marine Accused in Iraqi War Crimes
is Back on Duty By Julie Watson Associated Press June 29, 2010 Camp Pendleton, Calif. -
Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III put on his uniform and reported for duty
Tuesday despite lingering accusations that he killed an unarmed Iraqi man in
what became a major war crime case. Hutchins, 26, of Plymouth,
Mass., spent the past fours years in a military prison after being convicted
of murdering a 52-year-old Iraqi man in the village of Hamdania in 2006. He was released June 14
after a military appeals court ruled he had an unfair trial in 2007 and threw
out his conviction. The case is now in the hands
of a higher court that can affirm or reverse the April ruling. Hutchins told The Associated
Press he fears the Navy will be watching his every move to see if it can get
him back in jail since his conviction was a major victory in the government
effort to go after U.S. troops who kill unarmed Iraqis. "I'm afraid I'm not
going to get that fair treatment because of the political ramifications that
I'm being used for," said Hutchins, who donned his crisply ironed Marine
uniform at a friend's home in nearby Oceanside before heading to the 1st
Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego. The back window of a truck
in the driveway read: "Free Larry." Hutchins will handle the
logistics of training exercises at the base while his case is being appealed
by the Navy. Hutchins is under no
restrictions, and the Marine Corps has said he will be treated like any other
Marine but will not be deployed because of the legal situation. Navy prosecutors say
Hutchins led a squad that dragged Hashim Ibrahim Awad from his home, shot him
in a ditch then planted a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an
insurgent. Hutchins said he feels Navy
Secretary Ray Mabus is out to get him because Mabus told the Marine Corps
Times last year that he believes Hutchins was the ringleader in a murder plot
and attempted cover-up, and that Hutchins should complete the full prison
sentence. "I don't think any
Marine should be used as a political tool, but I'm walking on a razor's edge
as it is with the Navy secretary saying what he has said and tainting the
jury pool," Hutchins said. Mabus' office said he is
precluded from commenting since the case is under appeal. Prosecutors said
they are preparing an appelate brief that will detail their case. Hutchins has maintained that
he was not present at the killing, and that his squad radioed him to tell him
the man was an insurgent leader. Hutchins said the death haunts him. but he
declined to discuss specifics on the advice of his lawyer. "If I could take this
all back and do over, I definitely would not have condoned what
happened," Hutchins said. "Marines pay for it. Families pay for it.
I would never put anybody through this. It's one of those things I have to
live with." Hutchins was convicted of
murder and sentenced to 14 years, a term later reduced to 11 years. The six
other Marines and Navy corpsman in his squad served less than 18 months. Hutchins said he harbors no
ill feelings toward his squad mates. He has been ordered not to talk to them
while the case is ongoing, but he hopes to someday have a beer and "talk
war stories" with them. After their release, several
of the squad members worked for the Headquarters Battalion, where Hutchins
has been assigned. He said they left a good record. In the 10 days since his
release, Hutchins has visited with his parents and 6-year-old daughter after
they flew from Massachusetts. He has been sleeping on base
but plans to move into his friend's home. He believes his conviction will not
be reinstated. "I had to go out and
buy a wallet, get my Social Security card, my birth certificate, military ID,
bank card - I'm literally starting my life over from nothing," he said. His fellow Marines have
welcomed him and haven't asked questions, he said. "This is absolutely as
if it never happened. I'm back in the Marine Corps," Hutchins said,
adding that "surreal is an understatement" to describe how he
feels. A ruling by the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Armed Forces will likely come sometime next year. Copyright © 2010 The
Associated Press. External link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAKPf49Q9s7SaG_xk_hZ15Du-xUgD9GL71F02 |